Thursday, December 31, 2015

As some of you may have heard, my beautiful, sweet, caring angel of a mother Cathy Kilbourne passed away from complications due to cancer a few weeks ago on December 5th, 2015. Many of you have already reached out in various wonderful ways and offered your endless love, good wishes, and support, for which my family and I are forever grateful. Words really cannot express how happy it makes me to know that my mom was so loved by so many people - a true testament to what an amazing soul she was and how her short time here on this Earth was never taken for granted.

I am writing this today to ask those of you who wish to join me in celebrating her life attend the memorial service being held on Saturday, January 9th, 2016 at 1:00pm at the United Methodist Church located at 1000 E Janss Rd, in Thousand Oaks, CA (91360). I am also writing this in the hopes that you all can help me spread this message. My mom touched so many lives, and I know all of the phone calls and emails I've been dispatching don't even begin to scratch the surface of the network of people she's built during her time here.

In order to properly honor my mom during the service on January 9th, I have a few requests to make:

My mom's favorite colors were purple and red, so if you could please try to wear these colors in any form or fashion during the service, I know she would absolutely love to look out on a sea of vibrant color as people gather to celebrate her.

If you were thinking of sending flowers, please instead consider making a donation to the Tiny Loving Canines Animal Shelter (http://www.tinylovingcanines.org/donate.html)in my mom's name. She loved animals of all kinds, shapes, and sizes, and was heavily involved in this organization until her passing. Honoring her commitment to making a difference in the lives of shelter pets would be a wonderful tribute to my mom's selfless and giving heart.

Please bring your stories of my mom to share at the service. Tell me how she made you laugh, made you smile, made you some really good food, or helped you through a tough time. Please tell me how she touched your life, even if it was just in the smallest of ways. (If you would like to write any of these stories down for me to collect in a memory book, I would greatly appreciate it.)

Smile when you think of her smile emoticon my mom was ever the optimist, and if there is anything she would want us to learn from her it is that it's ok to cry, but there is so much more out there for us to celebrate and laugh about and be thankful for. So although this is a sad time for us all, let our heavy hearts be lifted by our memories of happier times with her.

Thank you all again for reaching out and in turn helping me reach many others. If you have any questions about the service or just want to tell me a great story about my mom, please feel free to message me here on Facebook or contact me on my cell phone.

Now that you're done reading this, please also take a quick break from Facebook to go hug your loved ones and tell them how much you love them and how much you appreciate them. Go outside and enjoy the sun on this lovely day. Relish every deep breath, every color you see, every feeling you feel. Go snuggle with your pets. Go make a delicious meal. Smile at all the little things that make life worth living, not just for yourself, but for my mom as well!

Monday, December 21, 2015

On Saturday evening, after we closed the rescue center for the night, many of the TLC volunteers came in for our "M&M"... We have a monthly (quick) meeting and then most stay and watch a movie together... We hold them in the Educational Corner at the rescue center... A soft, comfy corner that is filled with cushy leather couches and chairs... "Santa Don" donated a large TV and DVD player for this area and this is where we also hold our workshops, groups meet on a weekly basis, etc... It is a nice, "homey" kind of area that came to be, due to kind donations of furniture and a lot of dreams... A LOT of dreams...This year has been especially trying for TLC... Promised for years that we would always have a spot at the mall, we hung in there through all of the reconstruction - times when we were missing parts of the roof and rain came in, ruining equipment... Other times when the steel was being worked on and sparks came down, burning our dogs and setting fleece on fire... But we believed in the promises, emails and statements that were made to us - after all, a man (or corporation) is only as good as their word(s), right?...All along, we asked for a bigger spot when told that one day we would have to move... We wanted a place that workshops could be held so we could teach people how to keep their pets instead of surrendering them... And as we stayed in a constant state of "you are going to have to move as the redevelopment plans move towards your area", we slowed down the number of dog lives we were saving in anticipation of that upcoming move... 'Next month'... 'Next spring'... 'Early summer'... etc.Each and every time our volunteers were asked to support or join into something at the mall, we were there... In force... Eventually our small piece of real estate became valuable with large restaurants opening up nearby... Our use as a community nonprofit at city council meetings was of no value after we helped push through the digital signage on the 118... And we were advised to look elsewhere, outside of the mall, to save dog lives... Finding a new location was not easy, and this time the location was not free... We had been doing extraordinary things with the donations we got each month, saving this dog who needed a $1400 surgery... Putting in 6 months of expensive vet care to save that litter infected with ringworm... We came to the realization we either shut down TLC all together or found a location that required rent to continue on with our mission of saving lives... I put it to the TLC volunteers for a vote... After all, we are a team and it was going to take a LOT of hard work to happen... Many commercial property owners turned us down, not wanting a dog rescue on their property... Others were priced so expensive, we knew no matter how hard we worked, we would not be able to adopt enough dogs and puppies to make the rent each month... We looked at 51 empty business locations around the city before narrowing it down to three and finally deciding on the spot we are today... Yes, the rent is almost $5,000 a month plus utilities and we scrape by each month... But we also have 4 times the space we had previously and both our dogs and volunteers are better for it... And then the REAL work began - laying floor tile, painting, moving the vast amount of equipment we have along with the dogs and puppies... It was a nightmare I will never be able to go through again in my lifetime...

As I looked around the Educational Corner on Saturday night, my mind replayed the past six months of agony, sweat and perseverance that we would not fail the dogs of Ventura County... As I watched TLC volunteers opening 'Secret Santa' gifts, I thought about all the gifts I have been given throughout the years... I know if I had a flat tire at 10PM on a dark, lonely road, there is at least 10 of the TLC volunteers I could call and probably 9 of them would come out on a moment's notice to help me... If not all of them at one time!... I have listened to personal struggles, triumphs, complaints, comments, compliments and just about everything else in between!... I have laughed with and loved all of these folks, who come together with no hidden agenda beyond the desire and commitment to be a part of the No-Kill movement in our county... It certainly isn't to be paid or to 'dabble' in something... They all work hard and bust butt, doing what we do... We count our 'payment and reward' as the smiling faces and joy that shows when adopters post their happy photos of their new BFF on our Facebook page or email them in to us... Alumni come by and tell us how great their adopted dog or puppy is, how much they love them and thank us for doing what many others cannot, day in and day out, 364 days a year... We laugh a lot among ourselves... The goofy antics of Kathryn, our oldest volunteer at 71... Or other funny things that happen... And we cry with each other when one of our furbabies grows old and passes over the Rainbow Bridge, having been loved deeply by one of the volunteers... The circle of Life, ya know?

Loving and laughing... What a great combination, huh?... Hard work aside, this is the most incredible group of people you will find... Numbering over 60 now, it does not matter what age, financial background or education or even sex... I always say I have the best volunteers in the county, and I saw it with all sincerity and love... (even if they buy me puppy slippers and laugh at me during the modeling of them! )... We joke among ourselves that TLC has reserved a complete complex up in Heaven... No more poop (clouds are always white, right??)... Dogs will all be healthy and no more vet visits... I requested a dance floor personally... A few of us have asked for a nice spacious kitchen that we can cook in, plus a HUGE dining room table to fit us all in once the meals are made.... The husbands of the TLC volunteers have already reserved HUGE wide-screen TVs, and us ladies joke that we will need tables and tables for the massive amount of remote controls required to run all of those gadgets!... Lots of green grass for the dogs and puppies to run in, and a storehouse of warm, comfy beds for one and all to sleep in... No more bills, no more struggles... Just loving each other and our fur-babies without pain or suffering... Just puppy slippers for one and all!Who would have thought over 6 years ago, a dream of mine spawned by an off-handed comment of my husband's would have evolved into a full fledged rescue center, running 7 days with over 300 volunteer hours a week required would ever come to be? Think about it... Just 2,386 days ago, this was all a thought and a dream... And today the TLC volunteers have saved 2,431 canine lives... That is more than one life each day for each day of our existence... And the year is not over yet...It is TRULY a wonderful life, just like the movie we picked to watch... Not born out of profit or greed, but just because it is the right thing to do... To reach a point where no healthy, adoptable puppy or dog has to die... Just how great is that???!!! TLC and its volunteers ROCK... what a GREAT group of folks I am proud to be a part of!!!With much love,LindaP.S. I have to show off my gift from the volunteers... It was given to me on Saturday night as they told me I am the 'heart of TLC'... It is my birthstone and I have been thinking about this for the past six months... I have not worn my birthstone in years and I've been thinking maybe I should again before I curl up and die somewhere. It was kind of a shock that I was given this - I had been looking at the entwined hearts jewelry the past few months as well... When I opened it (knowing I had not told anyone about these two separate thought processes), and seeing both together in one gorgeous necklace, I was a bit spooked... And so like a baby, I had to well up in tears as I opened it. I will wear this proudly because I know it was given to me with lots and lots of love!

Friday, December 18, 2015

Today we have another interview with one of our rescued dogs... Comic - otherwise known to us as the "Unknown Comic"...

Linda: So, Mr. Comic? How are you today?Comic (w/heavy Italian accent): Oh, please... don't be so formal... just call me "Comic"Linda: That's an interesting name - how did you come by it?Comic: Frankly, I really don't know. Humans are such STRANGE animals, ya know? There I was... just walking along and BAM!, some stranger picks me up around my middle like the goomer really knows me... Like we grew up together in the old neighborhood, ya know?...

Shoves me into a truck and I was wondering what I'd done... Thinkin' I'd made the Bossman mad or something, ya know?... Don't think I was in trouble for stealing that ham sandwich I saw on the counter 'cause I blamed it on the cat... Rumblin' round in the back of that truck, the goober then puts me into a kennel run with other dogs... I hung around there for a bit, made eyes at some of the ladies across the way... And then you come along and said you were going to save me... Hmmm... Linda (bit annoyed): That still doesn't explain your name, Comic.Comic: Oh that... Well, one of the TLC volunteers gave me that name... She said that everything I did was so funny, that I should have been a comic... And it stuck.Linda: How long have you been with TLC now, Comic?Comic: Let's see... It was after Tony went to the slammer... and uh... well, guess it is a year now. Time flies when you do the time, ya know?

Linda (checking files): Yes, we took you out of the shelter on 12/1/14. It has been a year.Comic: And ya know? You guys put that goofy hat on me last year, telling me it would win me a furever home and that Santa was listening... You shouldn't say things to us that are not true... Santa didn't hear me or didn't read my list...Linda: Maybe you should have been nicer to the cat and not eaten that ham sandwich?Comic: ((silence))Linda: So, Comic... What would make someone adopt you?Comic: Well, I like to cuddle and I also am the only dog that can walk inside of a cocoon.Linda: Huh?Comic: Yes, I like to wrap myself up in my blankee and sleep. If I need a drink, why bother to unwrap myself... I just walk over to the bowl and get me a slurp, then walk back. No need to take my fleece off and get cold, ya know?Linda: Is that all?Comic: What more does anyone else need to get adopted in this town?Linda: Probably moreComic: Well, I have a magic whistle.Linda: A magic whistle?Comic: Yes, a magic whistle. I can hit your shoe with my whistle spray at least 2 feet away... I've been practicing that for a long time and my aim is pretty good.Linda: I don't think that is a good trick.Comic: Can you do it?Linda: No. ((silence))

Linda: So tell me, Comic. What would be an ideal home for you if you had your pick?Comic: Hmmmmmm... Lets see... This time I think I would like my owner to be a guy... Someone that would think passing gas is funny or would enjoy when the grand kids come over and laugh at my tricks. I'd like a guy I can go for a slow leisurely walk with and check out all the babes with, then come home, have a ham sandwich, crawl up on the couch and watch some TV. Maybe take a nap... Or two.

Then get up, stretch our legs and go practice our whistles outside by the back door... Maybe make up a little gravy for some pasta? Little garlic bread? Hey, maybe we can have a burping contest after dinner? That would be SO COOL! I just know my guy is out there, waiting for me to come into his life and share his bed... Too personal? OK, scratch that one... Linda: So there you have it folks... Straight from the 'Unknown Comic' himself... Now waiting for a furever home for over a year now... Comic, give the folks one last pitch here... Sell yourself with that fabulous smile!

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

As a rescue organization, it is our job to save dogs from dying in the shelter, get them healthy again after the owner couldn't afford needed vet care (or wouldn't spend the money), rehabilitate dogs with behavioral issues and get them back up to an adoptable standard... Or if nothing else, stop the clock from ticking on a great dog, who through no fault of their own, ended up homeless and unwanted... And because we are No-Kill, we go beyond extraordinary means, each and every day of the year to step up and not fail these dogs we have rescued when the general public has failed them first... The bottom line is to find each and every puppy or adult a GREAT home - the best that we can find... But here is the rub - each and EVERY time we have turned down a potential adopter because their home was not the right home for one of our dogs or puppies, one of the first things we hear is either "You do not know who I am" or "I will ruin your organization through social media" or "I am going to report you (and/or shut you down)"... We don't deny many adoption applications as a rule... We educate folks with pools so their new puppy does not fall in and become a dead puppy floating in it... We educate the general public about the need to go out with their white dog at 6AM to go potty because they leave close to the coyote hunting grounds, and our dogs are prime coyote bait... We encourage people to adopt according to their lifestyles and how much actual time they have to spend with this dog, versus wanting a dog like their sister has, etc... We teach people that a 10-year old Chihuahua is NOT old because of the long life-span of this breed... And we show the general public that not all Chihuahuas are 'yappy, nasty dogs' as they visit the rescue center and see the non-Chihuahuas to be the ones we work the hardest on because the previous owner did not change the barking habit...

But when we receive an adoption application that we know from first hand experience is not going to be a furever adoption, we don't shy away from explaining why their application is not being approved for this particular puppy and that an older puppy or dog is a better fit... And lets face facts - if you have 4 children under the age of 6 years old, do you REALLY have enough time in each day to give to a canine when your children demand so much of your attention and deserve the very best of you for the next 12 years?But when we do say no and you are not willing to listen to reason (or listen to our years and years of experience doing rescue), it gets real old real fast to be threatened with social media... Because if you don't respond and tell both sides of the story, it hangs out there for someone else to come along, read it and decide against adopting from TLC and saving a dog or puppy's life... And the general public seldom, if ever, tells both sides of the story... The majority of the time, I just let it go... I know why we have said no to someone and the bottom line to us is that 'it is all about the dogs', finding them homes that are furever and that these dogs won't show back up in a local shelter down the road... And when they do, we go back in and rescue them a second time because that is our commitment to any puppy or dog we save... BUT, on occasion I have to step into social media and tell the other side of the story... Application came in yesterday from someone in another state (outside of California)... Woman has 2 Brittany Spaniels and a 5-month old baby... Interested in one of our teeny tiny Chihuahuas that maybe (just maybe) will be 3 pounds when fully grown... This Chihuahua is bonded with another small Chihuahua as well... But only the smaller puppy is desired... And this woman intends to leave this Chi puppy alone for at least 8 hours a day... Adopting a bigger, older Chihuahua who can withstand being left alone 8 hours a day with two 30-40 pound Brittanies is not an option for her... Adopting a more hardier dog that can easier withstand the safety issues of children learning to walk is not an option... Explaining that our rules about not placing petite dogs in with young children came about because of children falling on our dogs, breaking legs and the owners not being willing to pay the surgery bills to either fix the leg or amputate it, opting instead to euthanize the small dog until we were called and took back the dog... I could have been polite and simply said we don't adopt out of state, but being honest, we do adopt out of state when it is a great application... I could have been polite and explained further than I did that putting a teeny tiny with big dogs is very difficult to do - but I know it can be done because I do it at my home... However, I don't have a 5-month old baby that needs my attention and I don't work full time out of the home either... The compromise offered (a larger, older dog) was not one she would accept... And called numerous times to the rescue center to argue with us about being denied on this puppy... Finally, when reason and logic was not working in this conversation - and I would not approve the application - I heard that usual threat.... "I am going to social media to tell everyone what a horrible organization you are running"...

So you tell me... When does social media bullying end?... When we are willing say, "Oh, it is just a dog and who cares how the adoption ends up down the road?"

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

I too had some nice graphics ready to post for this day... So lets get this out of the way right up front... It runs over $10,000 a month for us to keep the rescue center open each month... That is the rent, the electricity (over a $1,000 a month - we get no discounts because we are a nonprofit), the cleaning supplies, food, etc.So far this year we have paid $78,000 in vet bills and meds... And the year has not ended yet... The TLC volunteers spend over 300 hours PER WEEK to keep the rescue center open... We start at 7AM every day (some start earlier than that) and at least three of us are there to end of the day, closing... We are ALWAYS asking for volunteers who are willing to come in for at least 4 hours each week on a consistent basis so the dogs we save are well taken care of... This doesn't include the extra hours needed to bathe the dogs, transport the dogs to the vets, etc... Just the bare minimums to take care of the dogs and to be open 7 days a week so the general public can come in, fall in love with a furbaby and adopt... In my mind, you are either committed year round to stopping the needless killing of healthy adoptable dogs or you are not... One day in the year (#GivingTuesday) is not going to change the tide of unwanted pets flooding our county's shelter, and in turn, us trying to stop the ticking clock of death awaiting them as a temporary stop on their journey to a furever home... So, here it goes - if you are willing and support what we do, please set up a recurring donation each month to help keep the rescue center open year-round... It is tax deductible and you will be part of saving a dog's life... Not just today but throughout the year... Use the drop-down menu on that page to set up a $20 a month donation up to a $1,000 a month donation - as you can see, each level makes a BIG difference in the life of a rescued dog or puppy we will save because of your support and help!

Just as important or maybe even more important, I am asking you to '#hashtag' every day of the week for a better life this upcoming year - both for you and your furbaby...

#TenderTuesday... Make it a 'date night' each Tuesday to come home, put on your jammy-jams and curl up with your dog on the couch...Love up on them and remind them how much you love them... Watch a movie, hang out and enjoy the time... Give them a massage and tell them all your secrets and dreams... I promise you that they will keep them... You'll feel better for the time spent and your furbabies will love the quiet time with you...

Segen @ tinylovingcanines.org

#WishingWednesday... Find the time to give them a bath, take them on a ride with you when running your errands...Or take them to the groomers and get their nails clipped...Set up that vet appointment that's needed and you can't find time for... A healthy, happy and clean dog is a joy to behold... A sick, dirty and unhappy dog makes for a stinky bed partner... (come to think of it, this works for spouses and partners also, but I digress... )Maintenance day this is... Once a week, but oh, so needed!!..

PupPup with new furever mom

#TerrificThursday...Oh, that extra special treat day... Teach your dog a new trick and work on socializing them... Meet your friends at Starbucks and sit outside... Teach your furbaby to be friendly and see strangers without barking at them... Do something special with your pooches that is just terrific and does not happen any other day of the week... Explore something new and different!

Doc @tinylovingcanines.org

#FabulousFriday...Take a walk in the park with your furbaby... 15 minutes and your dog will just adore the time spent and being with you - they will look forward to it all week long and it will relieve the stress of your busy week... If you are not a walker, do some 'park-people-watching'... Find a bench and absorb nature with your BFF, watching people and reflecting on just how great life is, ya know? Much better than the alternative for sure!Or jump on the bike (motorized or not) and just take a ride... Your pooch will LOVE it!

Funyun @ tinylovingcanines.org

#SensationalSaturday... Oh, maybe one of the best days of the week... Instead of sleeping in late and dragging through your day --- get up early and do your weekly chores...Instead of having to rush, rush, rush all day, get the work out of the way early so you can play later... Make a point on the hour to stop, pet your dog and tell them how much you love them!They don't know how many things you have to get done, but they will help you finish this day with a smile on your face and love in your heart... Seize SensationalSaturday and make it not only a productive day, but a sensational day for your pet!

Kassie @tinylovingcanines.org

#SereneSunday... Family day - both for you and your furbabies... Regeneration time to get ready for the next week coming... Your dog is going to miss you while you are at work as much as you will be missing them... So make the time to bond, relax and reconnect... It is good for you and your mental health... GREAT for your furbaby who needs you in body, heart and soul as much as you need them!

Prince @ tinylovingcanines.org

#MiserableMonday... Well, this is always the worst day of the week... But your furbaby is waiting for you at home and he/she doesn't care if you are rich or poor, smell sweet or not, Democrat or Republican... They love you just as you are and unconditionally... So when you walk into the door, it is a Homecoming EVERY time... What better way to end a MiserableMonday than that waggy tail and happiness at seeing you, huh?It takes only 15 minutes a day of quality, one-on-one time with your pooch to maintain a great quality of life... No cell phones, no distractions... Just you and yours - the equation of 'just being there' versus a part of the environment and home life.. (i.e. "We have a dog") and trust me, you will find yours is a better, enriched life and your pooch will have a bond that will withstand the years of their life they give to you.That's all it takes... Simple, huh? I KNOW you can do it!

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Welcome to TLC!

A small rescue with the mission statement "to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home abandoned and neglected dogs, saving them from certain death in the local shelters." We work ONLY with small breeds and do it, one dog at a time. Visit our website to see the available dogs we have for adoption!